BY STACEY WALLACE
OPINION —
One of the really great perks of writing this column, besides eating wonderful food, is meeting interesting people. A few years ago, Mike and I went on an overnight trip to Montgomery for our anniversary. At night, we rode down the Alabama River on a paddle boat. The next day, we went to a well-known Montgomery restaurant; their fried chicken had been voted the best in all of Alabama. As a fried chicken freak, I had to try that prize-winning poultry. Let me tell you, that prize was well deserved. Their fried chicken was slap your Grandma three times good.
Before we ordered our meal, Mike and I began chatting with three ladies who were at a table behind us. We quickly found out that these ladies were Bama fans, but they were so funny and nice, that didn’t matter to two Auburn Tigers.
Have you ever met someone and felt an instant connection? Well, that’s what happened when we met Mona, her daughter Zara, who was visiting from Oklahoma, and Mickie. We had a blast talking to those ladies. When I wrote about that restaurant, I sent all three of them a copy.
After that, Mona and Mickie told me about another restaurant to write about, so Mike and I went with Mona and her husband Rich, and Mickie joined us, too.
We had a lot of fun again and knew that we had a good thing going. Mike and I later invited them to the Loveliest Village on the Plains to dine at Southern & Savory Café, our go to for great Southern cooking. Rich, Mona and Mickie loved the food, as we certainly did.
Now some time passed, and Mike’s and my aches and pains got most of our attention, so we didn’t see our Bama buddies for some time. Therefore, several weeks ago, I texted Mona and Mickie to find a restaurant in Montgomery where we could meet them.
Recently, Mike and I were traveling South on I-85 to meet our friends at Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar at 7755 Eastchase Parkway in Montgomery. Much to our annoyance, we came to a stand still TWICE because of construction on I-85. Have you ever noticed that some part of that particular highway always seems to be under construction?
When we finally arrived at Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, we all hugged, sat down and started talking as though no time had passed since our last lunch (dinner). And Mona was an incredibly good sport. She covered up the Alabama ‘A’ which Rich had on his shirt, and said to me, “I don’t often say this, but War Eagle!” She said that she hoped that Auburn would win the Final Four and the National Championship. I was touched that she said that. Even though my Tigers fell short, I love them and am so proud of them. But I digress.
I loved the interior of Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar. The walls had Auburn, Alabama and Montgomery Biscuits jerseys as well as countless pictures of celebrities. Lucas, our server, was a delight, being so kind, helpful and patient.
Rich shared his onion rings — they were really delicious. Mike chose from the extensive Create Your Own Burger list and picked hand-cut French fries for his side. I ordered the steakhouse smash burger and the fries, too. Rich selected the Bad Daddy burger with tater tots. Mona ordered the Daddy’s sliders with provolone cheese and a side salad. Mickie chose the bistro burger with fries.
Oh, my three times. My steakhouse smash burger was amazing; it was so flavorful and juicy.
Everyone raved about their selections. Rich once again shared with us, and his tater tots had just the right amount of crispiness. Our hand-cut fries were also very tasty. Believe me, the next time you’re in Montgomery, stop at Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar. You will be happy you did.
Besides the great onion rings, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar has a large variety of starters, such as classic wings, fried pickles, not your Mama’s deviled eggs, truffle Parmesan fries and bacon queso.
Bad Daddy’s also offers non-burger items such as Emilio’s chicken, the chicken tender plate, Frenchie, Buffalo chicken and coastal blackened salmon. The restaurant also serves chopped salads with options.
Next time, I want to try one of their handspun milkshakes. Rich, Mona and Mickie, this review was for you. Mike and I look forward to our next culinary adventure with y’all.
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar is open on Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar makes the grade with an A+ from this retired English teacher. Remember, “Pooh-sized” people NEVER lie about food. Enjoy!
Stacey Patton Wallace, who retired from teaching language arts for 30 years, is a professional diner. Her column, “Making the Grade,” appears every other week in The Observer. Stacey may be reached at retiredlangartsteacher2020.com.
